The threat of the fiscal cliff and fewer discounts by retailers appear to have deterred many last-minute Christmas shoppers in the United States.

On Saturday, traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, malls from New York to California reported only limited crowds.

One analyst said it threatened to be a "ho-hum Christmas" for many.

Emma Carrington, a mother-of-three, who was shopping for a present for her husband at the Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Illinois, said: "That whole fiscal cliff thing is a bit nerve-wracking, and we're trying to save a bit of money for some (home construction projects) next year."

"We just try to stay on a budget," added Tom Chowinski, a shopper at a Walmart store in Westbury, New York. "We're not going crazy,"

Image Caption:Shoppers at Macy's department store in New York

Consumer confidence is at 73% - down from 83% in November and worse than the predicted 75%, according to research by the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters - as many Americans were unnerved by ongoing talks to avoid the fiscal cliff.

Negotiations stalled this week when Republican lawmakers rejected House Speaker John Boehner's proposal aimed at winning concessions from President Barack Obama.

Americans face tax hikes and steep cuts in government spending, unless an agreement can be reached.

Marshal Cohen, an analyst at market research company NPD, said: "What could have been a merry Christmas is going to turn to a ho-hum Christmas, and we can thank our politicians for getting in the middle of it all.

"This great unknown puts a big damper on the consumer feeling confident to go out and spend more."

Some experts said shoppers may be putting off making large purchases until even closer to Christmas.

"The traffic you see out and about may not necessarily give you the full picture," said Ramesh Swamy, an analyst at Deloitte.

However, Scott Tuhy, vice-president of financial company Moody's, said consumers "will not be finding deals as good as last year".

Many retailers reported record traffic on Thanksgiving Day and the following weekend but many, including department stores Macy's and Saks, said they lost business in early November because of Superstorm Sandy.